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Runespell Trilogy #2
The Lost Runes
The second volume in the magial Runespell trilogy.
622 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Jane Welch
32 books18 followersBorn in Derbyshire in 1964, Jane Welch was educated at Repton Prep School in Derbyshire and three separate public schools.
After working in Heffers Booksellers for a short while and running her own small business, she pulled Richard out of publishing and together they spent five winters teaching skiing in Soldeu, Andorra in the Pyrenees.
She completed her first novel, The Runes of War whilst in Andorra but after Harper Collins made an offer for that and the rest of the Runespell Trilogy writing took over. The Runes of War was published in December 1995, The Lost Runes in October 1996 and The Runes of Sorcery in May 1997.
After working in Heffers Booksellers for a short while and running her own small business, she pulled Richard out of publishing and together they spent five winters teaching skiing in Soldeu, Andorra in the Pyrenees.
She completed her first novel, The Runes of War whilst in Andorra but after Harper Collins made an offer for that and the rest of the Runespell Trilogy writing took over. The Runes of War was published in December 1995, The Lost Runes in October 1996 and The Runes of Sorcery in May 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 23, 2025
By the time I reached the end of The Lost Runes, I genuinely didn’t have a strong enough reaction. “Wow” doesn’t cut it. Neither does “holy shit” or “what the hell did I just read?” This wasn’t so much a conclusion as it was a detonation. Exploding outward, leaving you stunned, emotionally wrecked, and aware that there is much more to come. And that, somehow, is one of Welch’s greatest strengths. She doesn’t write tidy little endings; she writes true epics.
The scope of her storytelling is staggering. The world is dense, layered, and alive, with countless threads weaving through politics, survival, loyalty, sacrifice, and hope. Lesser writers would lose control of a tapestry this large, but Welch tracks every strand with absolute precision and then pulls them tight at exactly the right moment. A single line can twist your heart. A brief interaction can feel seismic. I have rarely been so emotionally tethered to a group of characters that their fear and anxiety become my own.
That’s where the real magic happens. Welch has an almost unfair talent for finding light in utter darkness. Just when desperation peaks and surrender seems inevitable, she delivers the most inventive, earned, and deeply satisfying turns. Nothing feels cheap or accidental. Every rescue, revelation, or convergence of paths feels inevitable because of the groundwork she laid chapters earlier. It’s masterful.
What makes this series especially refreshing is how much heart it carries beneath the chaos. For all the danger, brutality, and despair, The Lost Runes consistently champions resilience, compassion, chosen family, and the refusal to surrender one’s humanity, even when the world is actively trying to crush it. It’s a wildly entertaining fantasy that still manages to be uplifting, grounding, and emotionally affirming.
Simply put: this series does not miss. Welch has created something that latches onto your soul and refuses to let go. I am beyond excited, borderline feral, to start the next book, and my brain actively protests at the idea of picking up anything else first. This is one of those rare stories that doesn’t just linger… it stays.
The scope of her storytelling is staggering. The world is dense, layered, and alive, with countless threads weaving through politics, survival, loyalty, sacrifice, and hope. Lesser writers would lose control of a tapestry this large, but Welch tracks every strand with absolute precision and then pulls them tight at exactly the right moment. A single line can twist your heart. A brief interaction can feel seismic. I have rarely been so emotionally tethered to a group of characters that their fear and anxiety become my own.
That’s where the real magic happens. Welch has an almost unfair talent for finding light in utter darkness. Just when desperation peaks and surrender seems inevitable, she delivers the most inventive, earned, and deeply satisfying turns. Nothing feels cheap or accidental. Every rescue, revelation, or convergence of paths feels inevitable because of the groundwork she laid chapters earlier. It’s masterful.
What makes this series especially refreshing is how much heart it carries beneath the chaos. For all the danger, brutality, and despair, The Lost Runes consistently champions resilience, compassion, chosen family, and the refusal to surrender one’s humanity, even when the world is actively trying to crush it. It’s a wildly entertaining fantasy that still manages to be uplifting, grounding, and emotionally affirming.
Simply put: this series does not miss. Welch has created something that latches onto your soul and refuses to let go. I am beyond excited, borderline feral, to start the next book, and my brain actively protests at the idea of picking up anything else first. This is one of those rare stories that doesn’t just linger… it stays.
May 10, 2019
It's fine, but tiresomely sexist just tons of gender normative waffle
November 26, 2023
Enjoyable romp through witch hunts , magic hunts and an occasional spell.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews